the camp

A couple of days ago I had my so far saddest experience concerning homelessness. Having been running a drop-in for homeless people in Germany for a year and having lived in the DTES Vanouver I thought I have a bit of a picture of homelessness in Western countries.

Till Rob asked me, if I want to see his "camp". He led me to the bushes along the road just behind the shelter we live in. Climbing down a hill through the dirt he pointed out something not more than a pile of plastic, wood and blankets, explaining how you can climb into it to spend the night there if he's not allowed to stay in the shelter.

I kinda felt like in the favelas of Brazil or in Lithuania where people live where others leave their garbage. But I didn't feel like in Canada.

It made me sad.